answered: Your research paper should be an argumentative essay that ma

  

Your research paper should be an argumentative essay that makes a specific claim about two or more of the course readings. The claim should incorporate some specific school of literary theory discussed in class. Support this claim and argument in a well-developed, well-written, and well-organized essay of at least 1500-1800 words of text (not counting the works cited page) and must also successfully use at least 3 critical secondary sources accessed through the relevant GMC Library databases.
The bulleted list below provides general options for paper topics. The entirety of the class reading assignments can be found in the Course Syllabus, under “Course Schedule.” The list below provides general options for paper topics:
A paper focusing on multiple texts (no more than 3) by the same author
A paper focusing on multiple texts (but no more than 2) by different authors. The play trifles and a doll house The sources should support the literary claim of the thesis
The sources (and therefore, the thesis) should support the stories we read in this course.
Check out the resources in our course for MLA formatting and documentation–> look under Student Resources: MLA Format/Documentation lesson & MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics & MLA & Works Cited Page: Basic Format
A few of you have asked about Thesis Statements. In Week 5, there is a great resource that gives examples of patterns to use for thesis statements when writing about literature.
See below for additional Thesis Template Ideas:
1) Basic comparison/contrast in terms of literary element(s):
-“In ______________ and __________________, (event/character/theme) happens, but this (event/character/theme) is more effective and meaningful in (author name)’s story.”
-“Both __________________ and _________________ display (x idea), and when reading them together one can see that ____________________________.”
So, this is you making comparisons and distinctions between aspects of two or more works. Nothing too difficult about that, right? Except there needs to be a REASON for it, something that the comparison/contrast helps to demonstrate or show. In other words, you’re comparing, but with a purpose in mind. For example, I could compare an apple and an orange right now- but why would I do that? What’s the point? There has to be a point or purpose behind the comparison, is what I’m saying.
2) Discussion of texts as representative of literary periods:
-“Both _____________ and ______________ are great examples of (Realism/Modernism/ etc etc), and this paper will explain why.”
– “While _____________________ and __________________ are from different literary periods, they actually share many of the same themes and ideas.”
Show me that you understand what these periods are, how they differ from each other, and how these works do/do not represent these literary movements.
3) Application of Critical Theory to literary works:
– “A feminist reading of ________________ and ________________ will reveal that ________________.”
– “A psychological critique of the characters ____________________ and ___________________ will show that ________________________________.”
– Applying the Biographical and Historical strategies to this author’s works will prove that ______________________.”